Taken on a nervous rescue cat

a_silver_lining · 1 March 2018 at 10:59PM

My rescue boy was five and a half when we got him. He arrived with a bald, bleeding tummy where he had over groomed for a very long time trying to self-sooth his stressful experiences. He had been on a diet at the Cat Protection League and when we first got him he would attack us, bite and scratch if we entered the kitchen. He spent the first few weeks sleeping in the bath tub.

Time, patience, occasional cat treats, play times with toys, his own bed, it took time but hes a softie now. Well, in comparison!

There were many times he paused his progress and I thought we had reached the closest bond and comfort he would find. But after about a year he stopped pulling out his tummy fur, and a very sprase, thin, soft, fluffy layer regrew. I'd say he's as settled as he will get and a happy cat now. Still has a bald belly though

cjj_2 · 1 March 2018 at 11:28PM

I found playing with him helped my rescue cat gain confidence. He was only very young though so unsure if it would help as much with yours.

mellymoo74 · 2 March 2018 at 11:53AM

OK my Kevin was a shy boy and is still prone to the skooties.
He moved in gradually and had to negotiate terms with our other cats (one of which is an absolute thug)
Taken a year
Always have some feliway multicat on the go, and he is a confident cheeky little boy who looooves kisses.

All of mine were strays and they are all very different

Trink hates clean bedding, sulks and stomps around
Pickle is naughty to get her own way (figured out it works with her dad and finds it amusing) loves kissed and comes on walks with me.
Tiger worships my husband and is usually glued to him
Kevin is becoming a friendly little boy, loves me, likes nothing more than being in his bed on the side next to me in a chair holding his paw.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted · 2 March 2018 at 6:05PM

wort wrote: »

Check out jackson galaxy on you tube he does some good advice on most issues with cats.

...up to the point at which he grabs the poor, terrified animal, surrounded by owners, the camerateam, soundman, production assistant and himself by the scruff of the neck, all for a good camera sequence of him being scratched to pieces by whatever unfortunate beast was trying to keep well out of the way under the bed.

Seriously, I'm sure 90% of the 'improvements' are due to the poor beasties being so traumatised by the initial filming that the owners seem like a haven of safety and security in comparison.

If she lets you touch her under the bed, she's letting you into her safe place. She feels more exposed and vulnerable outside (where bigger, tougher cats would probably beat her up in her previous home). Let her get on with it, don't hover or stoop over her, perhaps see if she's interested in toys like a mouse on a string that you can play with her still under the bed - or find out what little treats are her favourites and drop them first underneath, gradually getting closer to the edge, outside her shelter and slowly, slowly, encourage her to come to you for treats, rewarding her each time she gets closer with another treat - and let her decide in her own time that nothing nasty is going to land upon her head if she lets her guard down.

Just relax about it and she'll come around in her own time as you make it worth her while to engage with you - even ferals can and do eventually come to accept being near or even beside/on their people after a very long time of not pushing them, just encouraging them.

pinkteapot · 22 March 2018 at 4:30PM

Just to add - you mentioned she eats all her food in one go when you put it down. Don't worry about that.

Our boy gets fed twice a day and scarfs the lot each time - always has done. Not a problem at all, unless you're trying to free-feed and putting down tons of food (but it doesn't sound like it).

For the first few months, weigh her every few weeks to check that she's not gaining or losing weight (unless she needs to). We over-fed our boy at first so he put on weight in his first few months with us. It's settled since.

Easiest way to weigh a cat is if she'll let you pick her up. Weigh yourself, then yourself holding her, and see what the difference is. She won't stand still on your kitchen scales.

Agree with everyone else - just give her time. It's good she's found a safe space, and as she gradually relaxes she'll gradually spend less time under the bed.

hazyjo · 22 March 2018 at 6:51PM

One of my rescue cats is still a nervous wreck sometimes. He can be sitting next to me all chilled and floppy and yet if I stroke him and he's not expecting it, he'll jump out his skin! Or if you bend down to stroke him while we're both walking, he'll sink down low and run off/duck. Strange creature lol.

Try a really squishy fleece type blanket - mine love the fur on them. Very calming. Morris even gets on my lap when it's on me which he never used to do. He's very much a lapcat these days!

Good luck

crv1963 · 27 March 2018 at 3:22PM

Hi

Our cat adopted my wife and then me! Moved into the Greenhouse, then the conservatory one winter, and it has taken years for her to be comfortable in the house.

She wouldn't come into the main house but now hardly goes out, she was terrified of everyone visiting us, she wouldn't come near the dogs or me running away always.

Now she nearly breaks my neck tripping me up looking to be fed all the time, curls up on the sofa next to me, lets us groom her and glares at the dogs if they dare to even look like they are going to chase her, although she doesn't like them barking if they get to close she will swipe her paw at them.

So I think it is simply time to let them become confident in their surroundings oh, and lots of food!

Shoxt3r · 14 February 2019 at 9:11AM

So after having her for a year she's massively come out of her shell, even within about a month or so after writing my last post! What finally did it? CATNIP! haha.

She already came with a catnip mouse which was a bit old and pulled around but we bought her a catnip mouse on a stick and some catnip spray and she was well away, getting really silly and rolling all over the place. We'd also tried Felaway but catnip definitely seemed to be the most effective.

Now we can't keep her away for the most part - she never likes to be left out of things and apart from some hangry moments when she's waiting for food she's as cuddly as we always hoped she would be - she's even taken to sleeping on our bed in-between us sometimes!

She obviously had quite a tough life in her old home as she is continually looking around and scoffing her food at feeding times - presumably due to the number of other cats living with her and having to "fight" for her food which unfortunately is likely never to go away according to the vet but she is at least much more at ease generally.

Coupled with her being cautious about potential other cats stealing her food she had also developed IBS symptoms but now that she is on a special diet this thankfully seems to have cleared up *touch wood*

So, for anyone that's recently taken on a nervous rescue cat, get yourself some catnip or catnip-based toys and you should see a difference in their character and start to build that trust. A happy ending after all!!

hb2 · 14 February 2019 at 9:40AM

Thanks for the update, I'm glad your little girl is more confident and happy these days

We took on a little cat 2.5 years ago, the RSPCA told us she was 'a bit shy'. Terrified was more like it! She is still improving, has recently started to ask for play sessions (although will only consider the feather on stick toy, she runs away if we get anything else out), is very affectionate on her own terms. Still can't pick her up though!

Taken on a nervous rescue cat

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